Lithuanian Radio and Television

BLAŽEVIČIUS Vaclovas, Vilnius

On the night of January 12th, tanks and armored vehicles arrived by the Radio and TV building on Konarskio Street, firing and throwing explosives.

When the armored vehicles stopped, officers came out from inside them. The officers carefully surveyed the unarmed, peaceful people who had gathered there. Other officers sat in the vehicles. Then the armored vehicles stopped and a command was given for the officers to get out. In a few seconds they had all lined up opposite the people. Shots began to pour from tommy guns and explosives were being thrown. It was awful. All of them were well armed with tommy guns, sticks, and knives. After firing, the commander of the armored vehicle standing in the middle ordered with an expressive gesture of his hand: „Vziatj!" („Take it!")

Officers attacked the people. They beat them with sticks and gun-butts. I stood in the first row facing them. Suddenly the soldiers attacked: they beat people with machine-gun butts and sticks and kicked them. The second blow knocked me to the ground. Each person who was laying down had been kicked where they had fallen. I fell on the bonfire, and people helped me up and led me to an ambulance. There were a lot of bloody, beaten and badly wounded people there. I felt terrible - my head was spinning, and my back and my side hurt. The medics detected a concussion, fractured ribs, and other bruises.